BS: Ticks

Subject: RE: BS: Ticks
From: Sorcha
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 08:34 PM

Some people are VERY allergic to Malathion, so check that too. (My neighbor is)

Ticks do NOT like tall grass, so keep it mowed if you can. Dose yourself with tea trea oil, Lavender oil, or something like that. Even baby oil or such might work so they can't get a grip on you.

Subject: RE: BS: Ticks
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 08:27 PM

We have deer - lots of them. When we find them as road kill, they're covered with ticks - so I don't think there's any hope of getting rid of either the deer or the ticks.
We try to clean them off the dogs several times a day, so the ticks don't get onto my 95-yr-old mother-in-law. She gets really sick when she gets a tick bite.
I figure it's just part of living in the country, but I do try to take precautions when I'm working outside.
The precautions didn't work for poison oak this week, and I'm miserable. My wife ended up with a nasty tick bite clearing brush, and I got the poison oak.
Maybe we need a condo in the city....

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Ticks
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 08:12 PM

I have about 2/3 of an acre so I hire a local exterminator. He knows exactly where to spray and I always ship the dog off to Mary's for a couple of days.

Subject: RE: BS: Ticks
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 08:11 PM

Sevin (Carbaryl) is good for small areas but gets expensive when you talk of acerage. As pdq notes, it is often sold with malathion, a good all-round insecticide. Sulfur (powdered) is good but may not be practical for you.
This little article from the U. S. Army Center has good ideas for control based on vegetation control. So many plants and shrubs that we like can harbor ticks that this method is poor for landscaped and planted areas.
http://www.smdc.army.mil/2008/Safety/Articles/TickControlAroundTheHome.pdf

For large areas, talk to a pest control agency, but remember, birds and animals are always bringing in more.

Subject: RE: BS: Ticks
From: Melissa
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 07:33 PM

Thanks, maybe I'll call around and do some pricing.
Now that I have a semi-sensible idea on how to go about getting ready for a good dosing, I'm a little bit more at ease.

These ticks are really creeping me out this year..they're hanging out where there's no vegetation and I don't think I've ever seen them do that.

I appreciate everybody's input!
thank you,
M

Subject: RE: BS: Ticks
From: pdq
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 07:26 PM

With an acre or more and not much physical labor available, perhaps calling a professional pest control outfit would be a good idea.

Still, long term, I would recommend a 4' clear zone around the house foundation and a similar 4' cleared strip along the periferal fence line. Spray as often as needed with Roundup and Malathion Plus, alternating every two weeks.

Subject: RE: BS: Ticks
From: Melissa
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 07:05 PM

I'd like to dose at least an acre (and would prefer to do a larger area, but I guess that's what next year is for) Would it cost more for MalathionPlus than to get an exterminator?

Subject: RE: BS: Ticks
From: pdq
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 06:51 PM

What I recommend for general "yard and garden" pest control is "Malathion Plus", a very specific product made by Ortho and destributed by Scotts.

Leaving out either of the two ingrediants, Sevin or Malathion, will not do a good job on any of the pests I listed.

Ticks often crawl up on annual grasses and similar plants and grab a ride with people or pets when they walk through to vegetation. Clearing the yard works wonders, even for the control of rats and mice. Ants like the cleared yard, but you can easily spot the mounds and spray them.

Subject: RE: BS: Ticks
From: Melissa
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 06:35 PM

Would I need to severely clean my side of the cattle's fence, or just the house?

Subject: RE: BS: Ticks
From: Melissa
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 06:32 PM

pdq,
Malathion would be available at a regular farm supply place?
Is that a spray?

Clearing the yard would be great..but I'm gimpy and pretty limited on how much I can accomplish and don't know how to prioritize the task.
I do have a useful boychild who is planning to come do some work for me before long and if I knew which tasks to do first, I could put him to work on that.

I can cut little trees and viney crap (and he can drag it)
I can throw sticks and let him consolidate my small piles to a big one.
He can rake/clear an area around the foundation and he can broadcast (or spray) the poison.

Does that look like my sensible plan of attack?

Subject: RE: BS: Ticks
From: Melissa
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 06:19 PM

ClaireBear,
Ha..that suggestion calls itself 'moderately easy' and I think it sounds like backbreaking tasking!
I don't know what ceanothus is..I better look for a pic online and see if it looks familiar to me--I sure don't need anything to encourage ticks!

I've been thinking about a couple guineas and wondering how they would fare here. They'd probably be the cheapest option but I'm not sure they'd do their job with so many cats wandering around? Surely they hide at night to roost so the coyotes wouldn't be likely to eat them and I guess I could give them away when the weather turns colder (so I wouldn't have to tend them during the winter. I do not like chickens and doubt I'd be fond of taking care of guineas)

Lorsban/Dursban
Has anybody used these? CB's link makes them seem kind of scary.
Any idea how long it takes them to dissolve in the soil and be not so poisonous to animals?

Subject: RE: BS: Ticks
From: pdq
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 06:19 PM

I use a product called Malation Plus, the "plus" being Sevin.

Sevin in known to cause an upset stomach if you drink some, which most sane people don't do.

Malathion is less toxic than table salt, so the combination in Malathion Plus is quite benign, but effective on almost every yard pest including fleas, ants, and probably ticks.

The yard clearing (not just clean up) is more important with ticks than you might think.

Subject: RE: BS: Ticks
From: Melissa
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 06:07 PM

pdq,
what chemical to you suggest for around the foundation?

Tick-ridding is a luxury and I need to find the best/cheapest option.

Subject: RE: BS: Ticks
From: ClaireBear
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 06:06 PM

What kinds of plantings do you have in your yard? I don't know much about this, but I do know that, for example, ceanothus is so tick-friendly that one of its popular names is "tickbush."

The instructions on this site are a bit extreme for my gardening taste, but the guinea fowl solution might be workable.

Subject: RE: BS: Ticks
From: Melissa
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 06:01 PM

I got a bottle of some 'natural' stuff a few years ago..thought it was so great that I found something that didn't stink too badly.
Uck! I was wrong! It smelled kind of nice for the first couple squirts then it went on getting stronger and sticking in my nose. Oddly enough, I only used it once.

Are PetCo/PetSmart ever cheaper than shopping regular stores? Last year, their flea/tick stuff cost more than buying it from a vet.

This year, I want to treat the yard as well as the beasts. My neighbors are cattle and there's a really big herd of deer romping the area..and I expect this to be a worse-than-normal year for ticks (and fleas)
I think if I can get something spread on the yard, I might not have to poison the cats directly so much during the season. Plus, it would be nice to go from the house to the car without having to catch ticks running up my legs while I'm driving.

This place has a LOT of ticks.

Subject: RE: BS: Ticks
From: pdq
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 05:59 PM

Completely remove all weeds and un-necessary plants from entire yard.

Clear an area 4' wide starting at the foundatuin of the house.

Use those nasty chemicals that all your friends will tell you not to use.

Read labels carefully before using and practise common sense safety procedures like wearing mask and washing hands.

Subject: RE: BS: Ticks
From: LilyFestre
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 05:52 PM

Frontline works really well for my dogs.

Do NOT waste your money on the stuff at PetCo and PetSmart that is all natural. It smells to high heavens...I'm talking gag material...and it does NOT work. AT ALL.

Michelle

Subject: BS: Ticks
From: Melissa
Date: 16 Apr 10 - 05:34 PM

I don't want a yard full of ticks this year!
Does anybody know a product that works well and is fairly cheap?

I'd also be glad to know which common brands are not worth the effort/cost so I don't waste money/time.

Thanks,
M